Beleskey signed to a five-year deal worth $3.8 million annually in the summer of 2015, has been a healthy scratch since November 26 and has zero points in 14 games this year with a minus-8. With the Bruins' young players like Jake DeBrusk and Danton Heinen earning their spots in the lineup, the B's could not afford to allow Beleskey to play through his struggles.

If Beleskey is not claimed, which seems very likely considering his contract, the B's will get $1.025 million in cap relief.

While most UFA signings tend to be over-payments, especially July 1 signings as Beleskey was two years ago in a weak free agent class, the former Anaheim Duck, coming off a breakout 22-goal season, delivered what one might reasonably expect from him in his first year with 15-22-37 totals in 80 games with a plus-6 rating.

But last season, Beleskey started slowly then suffered a knee injury that limited him to 49 games in which he had just three goals and five assists and was a minus-10. Despite slimming down a bit to tackle the new go-go NHL this season, Beleskey never got going.

Now, with the B's at the 23-man roster limit and both Ryan Spooner and Adam McQuaid close to returns, this move seemed to be an inevitability. If Beleskey winds up in Providence, he can at least try to play himself back into form and be available if the B's get hit with another injury bug